


The Other Half

by Cartoonygirl



Category: Camp Camp (Web Series)
Genre: Gen, I wrote this at 11:30 when I should have been sleeping, also 2nd person, enjoy, fuck that shit, once again this is NOT MAXVID, second chapter added by a personal need to write more for this, whatever
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-17
Updated: 2017-09-22
Packaged: 2018-12-30 17:20:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,279
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12113514
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cartoonygirl/pseuds/Cartoonygirl
Summary: What happens in the season finales? Between the lines, when we aren't getting the whole picture?





	1. Max

You didn't want any of this to happen. You didn't mean to break his spirit, at least, you didn't know you meant to. But you had fucked up the one good thing about this camp, undeniably. 

“David…” You begin slowly, not knowing really how to start or end what you couldn't put into words. What you couldn't say to explain why you had done such a terrible thing.

“Go back to your tent, Max,” His voice cuts through you, making you feel ashamed and scared and anxious and _awful_ all at once. “You’ll just catch a cold.”

You don't move, and you have no plans to. Not until you can put your excuse- yes, it was an excuse and not a reason- into words.

David keeps going, trying desperately to start an impossible fire. The flint snaps in half, and David snaps too. 

“Oh, give me a break!” He exclaims, throwing the other half at the carefully constructed pile of logs. They shift, and fall apart.

On top of David.

“David!” You shout. But it’s too late, and now you can barely see David under a large pile of logs. _Your fault._

Your first instinct is to rush over to him. You pull, push, and grab and throw logs aside. Finally, you spot the stupid yellow bandana that he always wears around his neck.

“David! Are you okay?” David doesn't answer. He’s been knocked unconscious. _Of course, idiot,_ you think to yourself. Nobody could stay conscious after that. _Your fault._

You realize you aren't getting anywhere with what you’re trying to do. You change to plan B, standing and running as fast as your small legs can take you over to the counselor cabin.

“Gwen! Anybody! Help!” You bang on the door, not bothering to keep the desperation out of your voice. _Your fault. Your fault._ “GWEN!” you cry. She finally pulls open the door, worry evident on her face.

“Max? What’s-” You grab her hand, interrupting her question. You don't care. You can apologize later.

“It’s David,” You scream over the rain, which has begun falling slower. “And it’s all _my fault!”_

You finally reach the site of the incident. 

“David! Max, you little shit, what did you-” 

“Can you help him?” You cut her off again, still in a frantic and worried state.

“Yes, I can,” Her voice is quieter now. “But I need you to tell me what happened. And I need you to go get the first aid kit.” Of course. Why hadn't you thought of that? _Your fault._

You race back to the cabin, grab the first aid kit, and run out. You never participate in the physical activities at camp, or any activities, really, but you manage not to pass out. Gwen has gotten David out from under the logs now. She grabs the first aid kit from you silently and opens it. The supplies are mediocre at best, but you aren't sure what you expected from the camp anyways. 

How are you going to fix this? What could you do that would balance out all the awful things you’d done this summer, and now this?  
An idea strikes you like lighting, and suddenly you’re standing, ready to go.

“Gwen! Can you put the bonfire back together when you’re done?” You ask.

“Yeah, but why?” She replies, still wrapping David’s injured head. You silently hope that it's not a concussion.

“I’ll explain later. I need to get everybody together!” You run off before Gwen can stop you, and before you can change your mind. 

Five minutes later, everybody is in the mess hall making traditional Indian clothes that you designed. You want the bonfire to be how David hopes it is, but who says you can’t put your own spin on it?

You suddenly remember the staff, which is still out by the bonfire. You leave to get it.

David is still unconscious, and Gwen is next to him. 

“Max,” Gwen begins.

“I can explain later, I promise. Just start the fire, okay? Use gasoline,” You say, grabbing the broken halves. Gwen nods, though the look on her face tells you she doesn't like taking orders from a ten year old. That’s fine. You can deal with her later.

It takes another five minutes of searching, but you finally find some duct tape. You sit in the mess hall, putting the broken halves of the staff together and carefully wrapping the tape around the spot where it snapped.

Eventually, everybody else has finished their outfits and are wearing theirs. You tell them to go get ready. As he leaves, Neil hands you the outfit he made for you. You thank him, but he doesn't seem to notice. Maybe he doesn't want to be thanked, maybe he just didn't hear you. You don't have the time to question it. 

The rain has stopped by the time you leave the mess hall, now wearing the new outfit and holding the fixed staff. As you approach the bonfire, you hear voices. 

“Alright, I fixed it. Everybody hurry up and-” David is awake, and you still have no idea what to say. “Aw, shit, he’s awake.”

“Max? Did you-”

“Do not look too deeply into this!” You cry, shoving the pointy part of the staff in David’s face. You finally know what to say.

“You suck. This world sucks. And one day, we’re all gonna die, and none of it will matter! But if we didn’t do this, I’m pretty sure you’d kill yourself or something.”

“Oh, Max…” David wipes a tear from his eye, and you start to remember why you hated him so much. You shove the feelings away, trying to stay positive or whatever.

“Or shoot up the camp,” You add quickly. “I don't know, it was a possibility.”

“Thank you,” You again start to remember why you liked David, a bit. You shove those emotions aside too. For a later date, you decide.

“Whatever, just take your stupid stick.” The duct tape breaks as you shove it towards him, to your fear and annoyance. David picks up the half on the ground, a look of sadness crossing his face. Slowly, he smiles and pushes the half you’re still holding back at you. You don't know why, but you feel honored. For once, somebody’s proud of you.

Space Kid, the annoying fucker, sees the half of the stick that’s still sitting, out of place, in your hands. “Aw, lucky…” He says.

You whack him across the face.


	2. David

You knew something was up from the sound of Gwen's voice, but you stupidly ignored it. Why did you ignore it? If you had just looked at the paper, none of this would have happened. But you were too selfish to even think about doing that.

"David," She said. "I found Max's papers." You forced back on your cheerful smile, which had disappeared during your... conversation with Mr. Campbell, and put the happiness back into your voice.

"Great! We  _can_ do this!" You began to slip into a cheerful mindset again. 

"I don't  _want_ to do this!" Max exclaims angrily, exasperatedly throwing his hands in the air.

"Max, that is  ** _it_**!" You yell, leaning down to be on eye level with the annoyed camper. Gwen seems shocked behind you, but Max's demeanor doesn't change. For some reason, this makes you feel angrier. "I am fed up with your bad attitude!  _Why_ do you always have to bring everybody down instead of trying  _just a little bit_ to have fun?"

"David-" Gwen interjects, but you simply snatch the manilla folder out of her hands.

"Now let's all put on a happy face, go out there, and show everyone just how great you are at-" You stop, looking down at the folder in your hands. "Um..." No. No, it can't be true. But the proof is right there, right in front of you. How selfish were you to ignore this whole thing? "Wait..."

Max isn't signed up for a camp. The activity section is empty, hell, his parents didn't even bother putting down his last name. 

"I told you." You look up at Max and see tears forming in his eyes. No.

You did this.

"They didn't care," Max says, wiping the tears away from his eyes with his shoulders. "Just make something up so we can get this over with." He stalks into the corner, rolling himself up as though it would let him disappear.

"Max, I..." You've lost your words. How could you do this?

You look back down at the folder. "I didn't know." It comes out hoarse.

"And now, for our final and  _most important_ performance," Campbell glares at you and Gwen through a space between the curtains, and your awful feeling is doubled.

You're standing on a precipice, and you're about to fall.

You look at Campbell. Is this  _really_ the man you admire, who was like a father to you? Or was that man a hoax, made up by your childish mind to cope with your... less than perfect father? 

You look at Max. He looks so small, all the fight and spunk drained out of him. He reminds you of... you. Desperate for attention from anyone, even in a bad way.

You did this to him. And now you have to fix it. 

You walk over to Max.

"Max, come on," You say quietly, holding out your hand so that you can help him up. Max looks at you, tears streaming down his face. He hesitates for a second, then takes your hand and stands up. You turn to Gwen and mouth "get the car ready" at her. Then you lead Max away from the stage and outside.

The ride to the pizza place is quiet. You can tell that Max wants to ask questions, but he's restraining himself. Because of you. You smile at him reassuringly from the passenger seat, but he ignores you. You sigh inwardly. 

You guess you deserve the silent treatment anyways, not just from Max, but from Gwen. You ignored her when she tried to help you, and that was... well, it was a dick move.

Gwen pulls the car into the parking lot of Sleepy Peak Pizza Bros, and you swear that Max's bright turquoise eyes light up. He still doesn't speak, though that's okay with you.

You enter the empty shop. At this hour, you aren't surprised, but you wouldn't be surprised at any hour. The residents of Sleepy Peak aren't exactly pizza fanatics. You and Gwen basically keep the shop in business.

Gwen goes to order at the counter while you and Max sit down at a booth. Max looks happy and confused.

"Why are we here?" He asks. "What about Campbell's big show?" You notice the lack of swearing in his vocabulary, and it honestly makes you uncomfortable.

"It's stupid," You say. And you believe it, too. Campbell's nothing but a con man, and it's time for you to accept that. You're an adult now. You don't need a parental figure.

But Max does, and you'll be damned if you don't give him one.

"What?" Max sounds genuinely confused.

"You were right. It's stupid. You shouldn't have to pretend for anyone." You know what to say, because it's what you needed to hear for so long.

"Are you... okay?" Max places his hands on the edge of the table, like he might run at any second. You hope he doesn't.

"I'm... sorry, Max," You have to tell him this too. "I try to always see the good in things. And I try to get others to see the same, but... pretending like things are okay when they're not doesn't help anything." The expression on Max's face says it all. He did need to hear this. Maybe not from you, but he needed to hear it.

"I'm sorry your parents don't care enough, Max." You look out the window, unable to look Max in the eyes. "You have every right to be angry." There. You said it. "But... You deserve to be happy. And I hope you can find that here at camp. Even if it's not today." A car passes by the window, the only sound you hear.

"Life sucks sometimes," Gwen says, carrying the pizza over the table and seating herself next to you. "But at least there's pizza." Max stares at it for a second, processing. "Well, don't just  _look_ at it. Eat up, you little shit!" Max looks at the pizza in shock, then looks back at you and Gwen.

And he smiles. 

As Max eats, you turn to Gwen.

"Gwen, I'm sorry about how I acted tonight," You begin. "You were trying to help me, and I-" Gwen silences you. 

"I get it, David. Everybody acts shitty sometimes." She smiles at you, and you can't help but smile back.

You leave the pizza place, and Gwen goes around to get the car while you and Max wait by the entrance.

"David?" Max says.

"Mhm?"

Max looks down. Then, suddenly, he wraps his arms around your legs for a split second, letting go almost immediately. You feel... well, you're not sure how you feel. 

"That never happened." Max points his finger and glares at you.

"Okay, Max," You say, smiling. 

"Seriously, I will  _murder_ you if this gets back to the gang!" Gwen's car pulls back up, and Max immediately returns to a normal standing position. 

"You think everything went okay back at the camp?" She asks.

"Oh, I'm sure it's nothing Mr. Campbell couldn't handle!" You reply cheerfully. And maybe it is more than Mr. Campbell can handle.

But Max is happy, and right now, that's all that matters.


End file.
